Google Reveals the Nexus 10 ($399), Nexus 7 3G ($299)

Google's launch party may have been canceled but clearly they decided to go ahead with the announcement. They've posted on their blog today with new details about the upgraded Nexus 7, the new 3G model, and the Nexus 10.

The Nexus 7 will be available next month with 32GB and HSPA+ mobile. Retail for this model will be $299, which means the 3G connection only adds $50 to the price. That's not bad, not when you compare it to a lot of other 3G-equipped tablets.

But the Nexus 10 is another matter. I wouldn't touch that with a stick.

The Nexus 10 is pretty much the exact same tablet that all the leaks indicated. It has the higher-than-iPad screen resolution, runs Android 4.2 on an Exunos CPU with a Mali T604 graphics chip. The cameras are 5MP and 1.9MP, and this tablet also has front-facing stereo speakers, NFC chips on the front and the back of the tablet, HDMI out, and USB Host.

This tablet will hit Google Play alongside the new Nexus 7 on 13 November. Retail is $399 for the 16GB model, and $499 for the 32GB model.

It sounds great, but I wouldn't get one. There's no card slot, and leaving aside the issue of not being able to expand the storage, I know that the way I would use the Nexus 10would require one.

On occasion, I like to swap cards between my camera, tablet, and laptop. This is sometimes the fastest way to transfer files, and it's generally something I only do while on the go and in a hurry. It 's better than having to yank out the cables, untangle them, and hook everything together.

The Nexus 10 has no card slot, so that's just not possible. I might as well get an iPad.It's only $100 and arguably has a better CPU.

Native ports are always better than docks and adapters.
And the lack of an SD Card slot is a way of steering buyers to the next larger capacity model. (In this case, $499.) Or to upgrade sooner once they realize 16GB doesn’t go far if you’re serious about media.
It is also a way to steer *some* of us to other models; ones that either have the SD Card slot or are at least significantly cheaper at the 32GB level or *both*.
Right now, I’ll wait till at least next week when the Nook HD+ goes out the door and we find out if it has any hidden virtues or warts.
The Nexus 10 isn’t bad but its only a distant number 3 on my list of candidates.

If you root your device and install the Stickmount app, you can plug in a card reader via the micro USB slot. or you can use the other app you don’t need to root for, and do it that way. I can plug my 500gb hard drive into my Nexus 7 and it reads it fine. You just need a card reader with a USB connection, and a micro to USB RTG cable.

Like you say, there’s plenty of Android devices meant for content consumption (Sony T1 to stay close to home) and android apps (Coolreader) that have no problem accessing and managing content spread over multiple volumes. The native Sony bookshelf has no problem integrating ebooks and pdfs scattered all over three different volumes into a single sortable bookshelf view. But that *is* running on Android 2.2 so maybe things are different with Android 4.2. (Shrug)

Either way it adds up the same way: if you want 32GB of storage on a Nexus 10 you have to drop $100 extra.

Amazon charges $70 and Nook Media charges $30 for that extra 16GB.

Or you could buy the $269 Nook HD+ and a $12 SD card. Even better, a 64GB Nook HD+ configuration would run you–wait for it–$329. Shipping included.

That’s not a particularly good reason for not including one. Unifying the memory would simplify the programming of some apps, but there are already hundreds of Android devices with separated memory now. Developers can’t really stop supporting all those devices at this point.

Good point about the card slot. Why is at that Samsung insist on being the new Apple, when connectivity is the thing most in favour of the Android pack?

Stupid question, of course. If it had a card slot, nobody would buy the 32GB version. But I won’t buy one of these anyway, because I want it all. OTOH I absolutely would NOT buy an iPad, because they do seriously suck.

What the hell is Samsung’s design team doing to their tablets? The Nexus 10 is so ugly. Maybe they are trying to avoid more lawsuits from Apple, but does that mean they need to go to the other extreme?

looks like more waiting for my new tablet
the nexus 10 fills the bill up to the point of no card slot
there have been others that were close but didn’t have the cameras (heck, my frikkin phone has 32gb of storage and no expansion slot and it’s bascially full so even if i wanted to pay a ridiculous $100 for more storage it isn’t worth it)

yes, i want an everything machine in the form of a tablet including taking halfway decent photos – lots of “space” for storing those pictures and music and movies and of course books – in my little world there is no wi-fi except at home so even if i wanted/trusted the cloud i couldn’t use it

does the Nook HD+ plus have a rear camera? will have to check but if memory serves (which is rare) it doesn’t

Don’t know about others but what I’m looking for in a media tablet is a device that can take all my local media. 20GB of music, for starters. 8GB of classic ebooks (The Black Mask collection). 4-10GB of family photos. It all fits fine in my $269 netbook.
There is no substitute for local storage which is why the possibility of 64GB for $329 makes the NookHD+ interesting.